Faint Heart Never Wins Fair Lady
by msllamalover
Summary: Percy doesn't understand Penelope's love of fairytales, and she begins to wonder whether she really knows him at all. With Disney quotes.


_Disclaimer: Not mine, of course!  
__A/N: Most likely my last piece of angst this year, I'm terribly sad. Written for the Disney Challenge, with 'Faint heart never won fair lady', from Robin Hood, 'It's not that simple anymore', from Pocahontas, and 'Sooner or later, people have to grow up', from Peter Pan. I hope Percy seems in character, and I hope you like it._

Penelope flicks her long mess of chestnut curls over her shoulder. One is stray again, and that one she tucks behind her ear. She looks up briefly from her book - the book of fairytales her mum gave her last Christmas. The front cover is charmed so that it looks instead like she is reading critics views of the Tales of Beedle the Bard. Most of the time she doesn't bother with the charm. She isn't ashamed of her book, but Percy seems to be.

Percy is sitting opposite her. Again, he is paying her no attention whatsoever. All of his interest is in his homework, even though he has already written more than was asked for, and even though they both know he will get perfect marks.

'Percy -'

She tries to talk to him, her voice soft and quiet. They are, after all, in the library. He raises his hand to signify that he doesn't want her to talk, so she stops. She wants to think that it's because he wants to savour the serene silence that they are sitting in, alone with her, but really she knows that he just wants to do his work.

She opens her book again, but finds that her concentration is elsewhere. She sets it down on the table and moves to the seat next to him. He looks up and smiles a little, but it doesn't reach his eyes, hidden behind his glasses. As he looks back to his work, she moves a little closer and takes the quill from his hand, setting it down beside her book before he can complain. She kisses him lightly, and can't help but be a little delighted when he kisses her back. Far too soon for her liking, he pulls away and reaches for his quill.

'No, Perce.' She shakes her head, taking his hand back. 'Come outside with me?'

He looks out the window. 'But it's raining, Penelope. We'll get wet, and I don't want to be the reason you're ill.'

'We won't get ill, don't be ridiculous. We won't even get that wet! I know a spot where we'll be dry.' Penelope argues, but her opinions fall on deaf ears. Percy has already made up his mind not to go.

'As true as that may be, we'll get into trouble. I'm head boy and you're a prefect, we can't be seen getting into trouble.' He is defiant. He is, she will decide later, afraid. Afraid of going against the rules even for love. Penelope knows that rules are made to be broken, but Percy doesn't.

But she really, _really_ wants to go outside. They've been in the library all day. It's calm and quiet, but it's too quiet and dull after a while. Her fairytales have amused her for the past few hours, but now, just for a few minutes, she wants to feel the wet of rain on her cheeks and smell the refreshing scent of damp grass. She wants to sit, out of the rain, looking over the grey lake and into the hazy sky. Most of all, she wants Percy there with her.

'Come on Percy, you know that faint heart never wins fair lady!' She tells him enthusiastically, a hand on her heart, the other pretending to fan her face. She can't help but giggle when she sees the look on his face. Clearly he isn't familiar with the stories she so loves. Her face drops a little and she sighs.

'What in the name of Merlin are you talking about?' Percy is getting fed up with her now. He was annoyed with her requests before, too, but she had ignored it then. Only then does it occur to Penelope that, in Percy's mind, knowledge and wisdom is the power. She wondered if he held love and friendship in high regard at all, as she did. 'Penny, I enjoy your company, but I'm enjoying your company in _here_ right now. Isn't that enough?'

'No.' Penelope replies, stubbornly crossing her ever expressive arms in front of her chest, wondering why she didn't see this before. 'Live a little! We're only young.'

'Sooner or later, people have to grow up. Why do you bother to read those fairytales every night? You _know_ that fairies aren't wonderful, helpful little creatures who grant wishes. You _know_ that mermaids aren't beautiful beings who save people from the murky depths. For Merlin's sake, I don't know _what_ muggles were thinking when they came up with that one! And you _know_ that Witches aren't, for the most part, ugly old women. _I've_ chosen to stop living in some childish fantasy where it's fun to get wet and some silly romance is all that matters, and I think -'

This time she interrupts him. 'Silly romance? Is that what I am to you? Just a silly girl?'

Percy blushes scarlet red right to the tips of his ears. 'No, Penny, no. You know you're more than that. I mean -' he takes a deep breath and sighs very lightly. 'It just that it's not that simple anymore, is it? We're adults now, with responsibilities.'

'Which I take very seriously! I wanted to enjoy some free time with my boyfriend, but clearly he's too mature for that. And the fairytales? I like them. I like escaping to a simpler place sometimes. I know all those things aren't the same as in stories. I know beautiful mermaids and helpful fairies and cliché Witches generally don't exist. I never doubted that, even as a child.'

He looks sorry. Even Percy isn't so detached that he doesn't know when he has upset her. He might be that detached that he doesn't know how to appreciate her, but she thinks (she hopes) he might finally be learning. He takes her hand, and even that gesture, that should be so small, is a big one. He leans forwards, inches from her lips.

She can feel his breathe on her face as she whispers, 'I am starting to doubt Prince Charming, though.'

She pushes her lips to his for just a second, retreating before he can do anything. She stands up.

'I'm going outside. I'd love it if you came with me.'

And he follows her this time. They sit in the rain together. She is more than a little amazed he actually came, but she keeps her happiness secret. Next time she might not be so lucky.


End file.
